FIVE top scoring GCSE candidates from Skipton Girls' High School have achieved the best five marks in the country in English Literature.

The amazing achievement by 16-year-olds Nadira Wallace, Charlotte Jennings, Hannah Wilson, Natalie Walker and Moray-Hannah Lyle places them at the top of 379,017 pupils in the country who sat the exam.

Exam board AQA told delighted headteacher Janet Renou that less than 20 candidates shared the top five marks.

For the Gargrave Road school to have five of those is likely to be a unique achievement.

Each of the five girls received a letter from director general of AQA, Kathleen Tattersall, telling them of their success.

"I am very pleased to tell you that you scored one of the top five marks in English Literature out of 379,017 candidates who sat the examination this summer. May I congratulate you on such an outstanding achievement and wish you every success with your future studies," read the letter.

Mrs Renou told the Herald: "We are absolutely delighted, over the moon for the girls who have worked very hard. We have had students in the top five in various subjects before, but to have five in is just amazing."

The girls' teacher, head of English Chris McKinnell was away yesterday when the results came out, but her delighted colleagues tried to get a message to her.

Nadira, of Otterburn, was also away on results day, but her fellow students gathered at school to congratulate each other.

Charlotte, who lives in New Laithe Close, Skipton, Hannah, of Lothersdale, Moray-Hannah, of Ramshaw Drive, Skipton, and Natalie, of Duckett Street, Skipton, were understandably overjoyed.

They are now looking to do English A level, which is a change of plan for Charlotte in the light of her top class result.

All the girls said they thought the exam had gone badly for them.

Hannah said: "I thought I had written far too much."

"One of the questions was terrible," said Moray-Hannah.

The girls studied Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, poems by Carol Ann Duffy, short stories by various authors and modern play Cuba, by Liz Lochhead.

Down the road at Ermysted's Grammar School three boys had also received letters from exam boards with news of outstanding marks.

Robert Anderson was in the top five in design and technology, an exam sat by 14,165 students nationwide, while Oliver Gregory and David Horton gained top marks in English Literature, this time in the Southern Examination Group's paper sat by 50,693 pupils.

Headteacher Tom Ashworth said: "We are very pleased. Given the difficulties we have had in the English department through staff illness I am very pleased for the department and the boys."

Casterton School was also celebrating pupils achieving marks among the top five in the country in AQA exams.

Three girls were among the top five in German, two in French and two in English Literature. One pupil, Caroline Smith, of Sedbergh, was in the top five in German, French and English Literature.

Head Tony Thomas said: "Whilst there is national concern about declining standards in modern languages, Casterton's girls have shown that excellence is possible."